


Don't Get Involved

by ioverheardthis



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-18
Updated: 2016-12-18
Packaged: 2018-09-09 11:03:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8888398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ioverheardthis/pseuds/ioverheardthis
Summary: Cloud doesn't need anyone's help but that's not the only reason he doesn't want Leon involved.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on when Cloud's walking around Ansem's study and he tells Sora about Sephiroth again. (Leon is walking around the computer room.)
> 
> "Tell me if you come across a man with long, silver hair and a long blade. His name is Sephiroth. He is my darkest enemy."   
>  —Cloud

“So now you’re putting Sora on a look-out?”

I cringe at Leon’s voice. Of course, he overheard us.  I really don’t want to talk about this anymore or with anyone else.

Sora had just left with his friends, and I felt it was necessary to remind the carefree boy about Sephiroth.

My eyes slide to the door, but before I can make a move, Leon is striding around the white desk, blocking my path. It’s as if he knows what I’m thinking... and he probably does.

He leans against the desk, crossing his arms and fixing me with a scrutinizing gaze. I can see right through his casual body language; he’s on alert, like a lion threatened with a disturbance in his pride.

I hang my head, trying to avoid his eyes. “I just want him to know.”

“Sora’s got enough problems.”

“Well, it’s not like I asked him to go looking for Sephiroth.”

“I know that,” Leon says, sounding apathetic but I’m prepared for the bite of his words. “I also know Sora. He’ll do anything to help you.”

I frown at him. “I’m not asking for his, or anyone’s help.”

Leon’s eyes narrow but he doesn’t respond.

“I just want him to know Sephiroth is out there,” I continue, feeling like I need to defend myself.

Leon finally relieves me of his steely gaze and adjusts one of the bands on his arm. “Nothing personal, but Sephiroth won’t get to Sora.”

I scoff. _Nothing personal_. “You don’t know him—Sephiroth.”

“Well, then I guess you don’t know Sora like I do.”

“Guess not,” I agree, annoyed by Leon’s false disinterest.

I walk around the back of the desk to examine a crooked diagram on the wall, pretending to ignore his sigh.

“Look... Cloud, I—”

“It’s fine,” I say, cutting him off. “I get it.” And I did; a man hellbent on restoring his home and ridding it of all darkness must be cautious around someone who’s tormented by his own darkness incarnate. When I arrived here, I thought that Leon might kick me right back out, and he was so suspicious of me that I almost left again myself. Over the past year, we’ve resolved our bad blood— _ignored our bad blood—_ and everything’s gone smoothly up until now.

The awkward silence that follows makes look over my shoulder at the door but then there’s Leon in my line of sight yet again to block my escape. I turn away, faking an interest in the diagram that I could no longer focus on.

“What are you doing here, Cloud?” he asks, sounding more concerned than accusatory. “I know you’re not interested in the restoration.”

I was right—it was stupid of me to come here. There are two outcomes for coming here: either Leon would find it ridiculous, or worse, and more probable, try to help me.

I shrug but I knew Leon wouldn’t take that for an answer. I respond to his hand on my uncovered shoulder and turn to face him. However, I still manage to avoid eye-contact.

“Why are you here?” he presses, his hand still on my shoulder.

“This place is full of research about darkness in people’s hearts, yeah?” I begin slowly in a small voice, shrugging again. “I just supposed I’d look around. Maybe gets some ideas…”

Leon removes his hand from my shoulder and crosses his arms again. It’s not so much a hostile gesture, more like he’s thinking. “Well,” he says on an exhale of a deep breath, “the computer’s in there.” He jerks his head towards the out-of-place hallway behind him.

I shake my head. I’d rather stay in here and let Leon do his own work with restoring the world. In other words, I don’t want Leon any more involved than he already is, and I’m not too keen on letting him help me research the darkness in people’s hearts so that I can defeat my own. “Nah. I’m gonna start with these,” I say, pointing to the shelves that lined the room filled with large textbooks.

Leon leans around me and gazes over the wall-length shelf with a raised eyebrow. He huffs a laugh. “Good luck.” He knows I'm avoiding him—he has to know.

I just hum in response, stepping away from him. I bend down and act interested in the titles of the books scattered over the shelf but I’m actually fully aware of him still standing a few feet from me.

“Y’know,” he starts, interrupting the silence, “there’s a woman here looking for you. She said her name is Tifa.”

“Yeah, I know,” I say, trying to sound nonchalant but feeling remorseful at the sound of Tifa’s name.

“What’s she want with you?”

“Beats me.” I haphazardly pull a book from the shelf, stand up and open it—hoping Leon would get the hint and leave me alone.

“Alright... well... You tackle those and I’ll get to work on the computer,” Leon says, starting off towards the computer room.

“Don’t,” I say, the snap of the book as harsh as my voice. It halts in his tracks and he turns back around. “You don’t have to help me. I don’t need—”

“Quit being so self-centered,” he interrupts. “It’s not just to help _you_.”

We stare at each other, searching. He’s grinning slightly and the light in his steel blue eyes make me drop mine back to the book in my hands; I feel vulnerable every time he looks at me like that—it’s a look that I could only describe as affectionate. That look makes me want to let him in, to let him help me, to tell him everything. No wonder he’s in charge around here…

“You’re not apart of the committee,” he says, striding behind the desk and over to me again, “but you’re still our friend. I can’t let you lose your heart.”

I shake my head. In the past—when we’ve fought about this— _'You're our friend; I can't let you lose your heart'_ , used to be, ' _Don't bring your darkness here and put us in danger'_.

Maybe I do want him to help me. Maybe I do _need him_. He’s offering his help to me—I can have it. If I shut him out now, he might not ever come back.

Good.

I can’t let Sephiroth hurt him or anyone else. It would be my fault, and I can’t live with that.

“I don’t want you involved,” I say quietly, barely concealing my feelings in both my voice and my expression. Leon knew exactly what I meant. During our arguments, ‘ _I don’t need your help_ ’ also changed; it turned into ‘ _I don’t want you involved_ ’, and Leon understood. He understands now.

Leon steps closer to me, into my personal space. My hand instinctively reaches out, and even I’m not sure if it’s to keep him at bay or pull him closer. My gloved fingers slip between the leather bands around his muscular forearm. I’m still gripping the book in my other hand.

“Don’t,” I say again but much quieter this time. I can’t let him come any closer—physically or emotionally. In both cases, it would only make it harder to pull away. I feel almost like a shy cat, torn between wanting affection and wanting to vanish.

I keep my eyes fixed on the necklace he's always wearing but never really seeing it; I'm too aware of his hands sliding up my arms before settling on my back, and I can feel his eyes burning holes through me.

“I’m not scared of him,” he says low and soft, close enough now that I can smell him. He has a comforting scent that’s utterly Leon: the musk of leather from his jacket, a flowery fragrance from his hair, and a hint of mint from his breath. “He comes into my town—I’ll show him who he’s dealing with.”

I look up at him, and he’s just inches away from me. I've gotten used to seeing the scar on his face; it was blatant at first but now I hardly notice it. At this moment, though, it's as if I'm seeing the scar for the first time again—like I'm just now figuring out how strong Leon is by the proof etched diagonally from his forehead to his cheek. I’m captivated by the light in his eyes—a light that isn’t in my own, but maybe if I stare long enough at Leon’s, everything will be alright.

“Fine,” I finally say. “You take the computer.”

He’s still smirking when he kisses me, and the book in my hand drops to the floor.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading my cheesy fic I mostly wrote at 4 o’clock in the morning <3


End file.
